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I'm a British citizen (naturalised). My wife is from the Philippines and she is currently there pregnant. It seems like she will likely be giving birth on Philippines soil. Will my child be automatically a British Citizen when he/she is born abroad? If yes/no, What steps will be necessary for me to take to bring my child to the UK? For my wife I guess it is pretty straightforward she needs a spouse visa, what about child. Thanks for you help in advance..

OneTrickPony wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 02, 2024 9:33 pm

I'm a British citizen (naturalised). My wife is from the Philippines and she is currently there pregnant. It seems like she will likely be giving birth on Philippines soil. Will my child be automatically a British Citizen when he/she is born abroad? If yes/no, What steps will be necessary for me to take to bring my child to the UK? For my wife I guess it is pretty straightforward she needs a spouse visa, what about child. Thanks for you help in advance..

Your child born abroad will be British from birth - all that is needed is a British passport which can be applied for online at HMPO https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports. You will be told what documents are required, certainly child's birth certificate showing parents' names and proof of your British citizenship (nat certificate), and details of any local arrangements if applicable will be advised. Note the embassy doesn't process new passports.

If the child is born on or after the date of naturalisation, then yes, the child will automatically be a British citizen by descent if born outside the UK.

But the child will not be able to automatically pass on British citizenship to their own children if those children (your grandchildren) are born outside the UK.

British citizenship can only be passed one generation outside the UK.

alterhase58 wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 02, 2024 9:45 pm

OneTrickPony wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 02, 2024 9:33 pm

I'm a British citizen (naturalised). My wife is from the Philippines and she is currently there pregnant. It seems like she will likely be giving birth on Philippines soil. Will my child be automatically a British Citizen when he/she is born abroad? If yes/no, What steps will be necessary for me to take to bring my child to the UK? For my wife I guess it is pretty straightforward she needs a spouse visa, what about child. Thanks for you help in advance..

Your child born abroad will be British from birth - all that is needed is a British passport which can be applied for online at HMPO https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports. You will be told what documents are required, certainly child's birth certificate showing parents' names and proof of your British citizenship (nat certificate), and details of any local arrangements if applicable will be advised. Note the embassy doesn't process new passports.

Thank you. Sorry, but what do you mean by 'the embassy doesn't process new passports'?

All passports are processed in the uk. Years ago they were processed by embassies

Does that mean I will have to deliver my child's passport to him/her when it is processed in order for my child to be able to cross the UK border?

OneTrickPony wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:01 am

Does that mean I will have to deliver my child's passport to him/her when it is processed in order for my child to be able to cross the UK border?

How will the airline accept to carry the child if no right as a BC is not shown?

The child will have to be in possession of it to travel. Delivered to the parent by one form or another

OneTrickPony wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:01 am

Does that mean I will have to deliver my child's passport to him/her when it is processed in order for my child to be able to cross the UK border?

Better for your wife to make the application from the Philippines. That way, the passport will be given to her there.

Keep in mind that overseas applications for first British passports, even for children, take much longer.

AmazonianX wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 12, 2024 3:37 am

OneTrickPony wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 12, 2024 2:01 am

Does that mean I will have to deliver my child's passport to him/her when it is processed in order for my child to be able to cross the UK border?

How will the airline accept to carry the child if no right as a BC is not shown?

The child will have to be in possession of it to travel. Delivered to the parent by one form or another

So that means I can apply for my child's British passport here from the UK without my wife and child present physically here? I would probably need the original of the Birth Certificate though, do I? ANy other documents? That would be good if I can apply and get it here and then I can just send the passport to my child from the UK by a speedy international delivery for example DHL which only takes 2 days. One of the members of the forum here mentioned that applications from overseas would take longer which is totally bad for us since the sponsorship threshold for my wife's visa is increasing rapidly and with my salary later I might not have an opportunity to bring them both in at all..

I don't think you can apply for your child's passport from the UK and get it delivered in the UK if child is abroad. Wife applies for child passport from abroad, and child's passport gets delivered to them. Yes, applications from abroad do take longer. The easiest solution (documents wise, I can't comment on other factors) would be for your wife to get a visa and give birth in the UK if that was a possibility.

contorted_svy wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 15, 2024 5:02 pm

I don't think you can apply for your child's passport from the UK and get it delivered in the UK if child is abroad. Wife applies for child passport from abroad, and child's passport gets delivered to them. Yes, applications from abroad do take longer. The easiest solution (documents wise, I can't comment on other factors) would be for your wife to get a visa and give birth in the UK if that was a possibility.

I see yes would be the best option for us. But unfortunately her due date is 21 Sep and the earliest I can provide evidence of 6 months employment for is, I think, 7 Sep so she probably cannot fly that time already.. Sadly I am not sure what can be done yet.

I had a legal consultation with an immigrational lawyer in the UK and he said that it would be easier for me in my situation to just apply for a dependant visa for my child and not to make British passport until my child arrives to the UK. Has anyoine heard of cases like this?

A British citizen cannot apply for a visa to enter the Uk. Solicitor should know this!
Note that passport applications are not immigration applications. HMPO have their own separate requirements.